In the places where now Building residential units in the Big Apple is strictly prohibited, it would soon be allowed. It’s just that, they are passing a series of new legislation.
A municipal proposal that paves the way for the creation of “more houses” in each neighborhood, through the first proposed zoning changes in 50 yearson the public review stage this past Monday, while city NY faces a an alarming crisis of housing shortages for the working class, with a vacancy rate of just 1.4%.
It’s about the plan “A City of Yes to Housing Opportunities”, which will add a new Universal Access Option (PAU) scheme, which would allow buildings to add at least 20% more units, whether the additional housing is affordable for households earning 60% of the area’s median income.
The New York City Department of City Planning (DCP) released the draft environmental impact statement for the proposal, which estimates it could create up to 108,850 new homes over the next 15 years. In contrast, for those currently at risk of eviction, the long-term impact of this plan, when hundreds of thousands of families will be displaced from their neighborhoods, due to continuous increase in rental cost.
In simpler words, It is about “opening the door” to the construction or provision of residential premises, where municipal planning laws currently prohibit it. such as in areas classified as commercial, or in towers permitted only for corporate office developments.
In addition, the path is defined so that people who own the home can find it turn their indoor parking lots into residential spaces or build “cabins” in their yards.
In theory, the result in several years would be the creation of new affordable housing working families, in high-cost communities across the Big Apple, in places where it is now impossible to build them due to current zoning laws.
“We need to think bigger and act faster. And that is what our plan does. We are asking our City Council members to listen to New Yorkers who need more affordable housing and say yes to ‘City of Yes'”he said alcalde Eric Adams.
Where… now?
For example, many buildings built after 1961, or outside the city’s largest office complexes, They cannot be converted into homes.
‘City of Yes’ will make it easier for vacant offices and other non-residential properties to become homes, a policy the City has described as a “housing creation boon” as it increases property values and ‘ creating more active neighbourhoods. and vibrant in areas hit hard by the pandemic crisis.
This strategy would make it legal construction changes until 1990 and would extend eligibility to any location in the city where residential use is permitted.
It is also a way for commercial buildings to be in a wider range of housing types, such as shared units. This would make it possible to convert old and outdated commercial buildings into residential buildings.
“The invisible walls that prevent housing in many of our neighborhoods They are driving high rents, eviction pressures, homelessness, and creating a power imbalance between landlords and tenants. “We look forward to talking to communities across the city about how this proposal would help reduce overall housing costs,” he said. Dan Garodnick, director of the New York City Department of Planning (DCP).
Mixed use communities
As this plan describes, New York is a city of neighborhoods, surrounded by commercial corridors with shops and lively street life.
In low-density areas of the five cities, most of them date back to the 1920s and 1950s, where small apartment buildings with shops on the street and apartments above. However, current zoning prohibits this scheme in many neighborhoods. At the same time, companies are suffering from a lack of customers and people have to stay further away from goods and services.
The benchmark of the municipal strategy is “by legalizing housing, above businesses on all commercial streets in low-density areas, “It will create new housing, help neighbors reach small businesses, and build vibrant mixed-use neighborhoods.”
Complete a parking command
Another change that ‘City of Yes’ documents is that New York City now requires off-street parking along with new housing, even when it is not needed. which reduces housing production and increases rents.
This housing program would end parking orders for new homes, such as Many cities across the country have done it successfully.
“Retain the proposal to add parking, but no one will be able to build an unnecessary parking lot” the proposal paper says verbatim.
More freedom with your own homes
Across the city, small home owners are facing challenges due to rising costs and aging homes.
Current regulations limit what New Yorkers can do with their own propertymeans that families have to move further away from their grandparents or grandchildren, or forced to live in uncomfortably cramped houses.
At the same time, places such as garages are not used, when improvements could make them comfortable homes.
“Back-up dwelling units, such as backyard cottages and garage conversions, can add new housing and support homeowners, without significantly changing the appearance of a neighborhood”, clarified in the explanatory documents.
In this sense, Adolfo Carrión Jr., commissioner of the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development, he said the Big Apple is currently on track to continue fighting homelessness and housing shortages by enacting “blighted zoning laws.”
“Today we also say: “yes” to ensuring that families can live within walking distance of public schools, “yes” to opportunities for voucher holders, “yes” to putting down roots near parks and “yes” to building communities not just buildings”the official concluded.
A large coalition of community and housing rights groups voted for this city program of the Adams Administration. (Photo: Michael Appleton – NYC Mayor’s Office)
No space available for rent
According to the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development, the city’s vacancy rate has hit an all-time low of 1.4%, meaning that when people have to move for any reason, they have nowhere to go. And as a result, Landlords are taking advantage of the situation to raise rent even further.
It’s basic economics: with too many people trying to find apartments and Without enough supply, prices rise.
According to a report released last spring, half of Big Apple households do not have the income to cover living expenses. Of the families that live below the true cost of living, the 79% gave more than 30% of their income to pay rent.
According to some projections as of this week, more than 150,000 New Yorkers are homeless. others 175,000 are at risk of deportation.
For more than 40 years, job growth has outpaced housing growth, leaving more and more New Yorkers with fewer and fewer choices about where to live
“yes but no”
For community activists, who see up close the trends that the poorest communities are suffering, in “formerly” working-class neighborhoods, the ‘City of Yes’ plan is “very interesting”. . But no, for those who are up to their necks in water, at this time.
This is the benchmark of Mireya Mayorkas, a 65-year-old Cubanwho grew up in Harlem and collaborates on housing issues with the group ‘Communities for a Change in NY’.
“I’m not speaking on behalf of anyone. But in myself. What I saw were 30 and 40 year old neighbors here, who had to go live in New Jersey, while they work in Manhattan. Because when they went to seek relief, to avoid being deported, they didn’t get help from anyone,” he explained.
Mireya believes that legislation to prevent evictions, without just cause, as well as the prohibition of unfair increases in rent, They are the immediate retaining wall, to prevent further movement.
“These ‘Bu Chòir’ programs will be affected when thousands of working families leave. The ‘landlords’, as usual, want to make a lot of money, without guaranteeing affordable housing for the poorest people. The office buildings will be luxury apartments. And income will continue to increase. While our workers have to go to the outskirts, newly arrived migrants can be found in the hotels of central Manhattan. Nobody understands that policy.” concluded the island.
In contrast, Rachel Fee, Executive Director of the New York Housing Conferencedescribes this strategy as “the most comprehensive strategy” to address the recent housing shortage.
“We are extremely proud to lead a group of more than 130 advocates and providers through our ‘Right to Housing’ coalition‘, working closely with the Adams administration and community leaders, to ensure that the proposed zoning changes will benefit all New Yorkers,” he said.
Few options:
- The average rate for homes is 1.4% for rental vacancies in the Big Apple according to the 2023 Housing and Vacancy survey, the worst since 1968.
- 275,000 new homes added from 2021although the market remained very tight due to a lack of long-term housing options and increased demand.
2024-04-30 10:00:00
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